Key takeaways
- Respondents 38.9% said they had tried generative AI. Over 2 years, the rate grew to about 3 times its previous level.
- The No. 1 reason people use AI is “searching for information” (86.0%).
- Concern about false information also rose by 9.6 percentage points. As AI becomes a tool for finding information, reliable content matters more.
Survey results - How much and why is AI use growing?
The 2025년 지능정보사회 이용자 패널조사 by the Korea Media and Communications Commission and the Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI), announced 2026.5.28, covered smartphone internet users who went online at least 1 time a day across all 17 provinces and cities nationwide, ages 18–72 (4,324 people).
- Use rate: 2023: 12.3% → 2024: 24.0% → 2025: 38.9%
- Time spent: An average of 49.6 minutes per day among users
- Reasons for use: Efficient for information searches 86.0% · Time management 72.6% · Learning 68.2% · Solving complex problems 64.8%
- Growing concerns: Spread of false information: +9.6 percentage points · Content that is difficult to verify: +8.9 percentage points (all measures increased)
The Institute’s interpretation - What does this mean for hospitals?
This survey looked at AI use in general and did not ask separately about health or hospital-related questions. The following is the Institute’s interpretation of the results from a hospital GEO perspective.
AI is no longer just for entertainment; it has become a search tool. It is important to organize hospital information so AI can draw on it in its answers.
- Searches are starting in more places. As more people use AI to find information, more questions about hospitals may begin in an AI chat window.
- AI often draws on publicly available information to formulate answers. Hospitals whose care information is not organized in writing give AI less material to use in its answers.
- The bar for trust is rising. As concerns about false information grow, people are more likely to trust information that clearly identifies who wrote it, what it is based on, and when it was updated.
What should hospitals check now?
- Are answers to questions patients often ask written on the hospital website?
- Are clinicians’ names and qualifications shown alongside care information?
- Is it clear when the information was last updated?
If even one answer is “No,” start there. Put the answer to one of the questions patients ask most often into writing on your website. This is the first step toward making hospital information easier for AI search to interpret and cite accurately.
Sources
Korea Media and Communications Commission · Korea Information Society Development Institute (KISDI), 「2025년 지능정보사회 이용자 패널조사」 (announced 2026.5.28)